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Mac Mini To Be Discontinued?

haoqfu said:
WTF! they are going to put iMac as their lowest end product?! iMac is so gay!
Click to expand...

Please post messages like this in the "your computer is gayer than mine" thread so that everyone who is interested in the relative homosexuality of the various mac models can enjoy it.

Note that same thread can also be used for any bi-curious mac models.
 
I am waiting for a new mini to power my media center. If they cancel it, I'll have to get one of those ultra-small PCs instead.

I'm not putting a macpro in my entertainment center. i already have a 50" screen there, so why would i want to buy another one (macbook or imac)?

without the mini, Apple doesn't have a solution to my problem.

because we all know the Apple TV isn't solving anyone's problems! I'm sure mini sales are at least on par with aTV sales...
 
cube said:
Fix the problems, yes: make it bigger.

And thus the mini is killed.
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you do not need to make it bigger in order to fix its problems. the problem is mostly price. desktop hd might help out a bit, but not that much. mini was cheaper in the past, and it could be cheper again.

and even if they made it bigger so it could house a desktop-drive, it wouldn't have to be THAT much bigger than it is today.
 
Evangelion said:
well, the rumor about apple dumping the 17" imac states that the reason for it would be the fact that 20" imac would cost about as much as 17" would cost. in short: low-end imac would cost as much as low-end imac costs today, it would just have a 20" screen instead of 17" screen.
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But not everyone wants or has space for a 20" screen. My wife for example, who preferred the 17" recently when I offered to get either one for her.
 
The Mini is a little too small. It is very hard to grow it. I think there will be a replacement that is a little bigger, but still smaller than a mini-tower. Perhaps the size of a Mini or AppleTV but twice the height.

This will be released along with their new line of Multi-Touch displays. I predict that, Multi-Touch support in Leopard as one of its top secrets, and other stuff, in this article.
 
No Worries, it's being replaced by te super-mini.......I hope
or perhaps... Return of the Cube !!!!
 
Evangelion said:
you do not need to make it bigger in order to fix its problems. the problem is mostly price. desktop hd might help out a bit, but not that much. mini was cheaper in the past, and it could be cheper again.

and even if they made it bigger so it could house a desktop-drive, it wouldn't have to be THAT much bigger than it is today.
Click to expand...

Bigger means desktop hd, desktop CPU, desktop optical, desktop RAM, so it would be much cheaper and performant.
 
Lame Integrated graphics to blame?

I recall a recent article explaining Intel's failed roadmap for integrated graphics cards: http://news.com.com/Intels+chipset+road+map+lacks+a+driver/2100-1006_3-6184483.html?tag=item
With all the new horsepower that Vista and Leopard's new Core Graphics will require, it is quite likely that Apple cannot hit the $800 price point and go with a dedicated card, while Intel's poor products like the 965 just won't cut it.

I own a G4 mini, the last with a dedicated graphics solution. I always felt that offering a BTO dedicated card was a good solution, but it never materialized. Sure, it would put the price at $1200 for a mini, but all those with home theater aspirations would gladly spend the money. Something under the $2500 Mac Pro tower needs to be offered. I just don't need 4 internal drives. Make a smaller case apple! Guess we'll wait for June 11th to see what Steve unveils. A new $999 cube, maybe?
 
Whatever...

Why would apple introduce TWO MAJOR branded items (AppleTV and Airport Extreme) with the 6.5" form factor if they intend to kill the mini?

I am surprised no one at AI thought "diminutive" apple was dead on such dimutive evidence. Kasper Jade, go find hard evidence - and while your at it, go find a new name, even if Kasper Jade is a pseudonym...

...
 
Hmmm...

I love my mac mini, although i bought months before they switched to intel...i wasnt hooked on macrumors yet! but i wouldnt mind if they tossed it i probably could sell mine on ebay for what i paid for it....but i would then like to see a sub-800 iMac...apple doesnt need to make sure they dont surrender all those potential people who want to atleast try OSX...
 
epochblue said:
Think it's possible they'll just rebrand the mini as an AppleTV? AppleTV 2.0, perhaps? Give the current AppleTV a little more storage space and a little more OS X to it and ditch the mini?
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It would be too soon to update the Apple TV but it is very possible in the future and it makes more sense to me. I think the underpowered Mini was obsolete before it's time. Once it switched over to Intel I think the Mini was heading for the grave. The Intel chips just didn't power many PPC programs under Rosetta well enough and it just lagged in graphics. Not to mention adding a decent set of periphs pushed the price to the cost of an all-in-one iMac so WTF. The computer just seemed to be a bit out of place in this new world of Intel and Windows virtualization.

The best thing for apple to do is axe it and put the same components in a slightly bigger and much more capable AppleTV 2.0. Bigger HDD, optical slot, maybe a FW400 port (take it out if it saves money), and usability with a keyboard and mouse so you can surf the web from your TV.

Ding Dong the Witch is DEAD :(
Now give me a mini tower without a HEAD :D

robertnq said:
I love my mac mini, although i bought months before they switched to intel...i wasnt hooked on macrumors yet! but i wouldnt mind if they tossed it i probably could sell mine on ebay for what i paid for it....but i would then like to see a sub-800 iMac...apple doesnt need to make sure they dont surrender all those potential people who want to atleast try OSX...
Click to expand...

I agree... add to those people the ones that want to get a Mac for a premium but not a fortune. Rumor has it that the 17" iMac may get the axe to, but if they can get the price down on it, sell it for under $800 and watch every other PC maker's price fall due to switchers sitting on the price fence.

- - OR - -

Get the price of the 20" down to around a grand. Since I don't think anyone wants to buy a desktop starting at $1500 and call it a budget or price conscious PC. I don't think Apple can get it down that low, a $500 price decrease... not happening... Apple wants to make money and I want them to as well.
 
Digital Skunk said:
The best thing for apple to do is axe it and put the same components in a slightly bigger and much more capable AppleTV 2.0. Bigger HDD, optical slot, maybe a FW400 port (take it out if it saves money), and usability with a keyboard and mouse so you can surf the web from your TV.
Click to expand...

Er, yeah, I agree. Also, three more fully-functional USB ports.... :eek:
 
Stonecoldcleric said:
Why would apple introduce TWO MAJOR branded items (AppleTV and Airport Extreme) with the 6.5" form factor if they intend to kill the mini?
Click to expand...

I honeslty have to say so what. Apple can release any size they want too. Maybe Apple will be combining all three machines into one do it all device and sell it for $500. They could call it the Airport Extreme Pro. It will have all the features of a MacMini, Apple TV, and a WiFi Draft N router in one device.

Go figure.
 
skellener said:
AppleTV isn't 6.5" form factor. It's 7.7"
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you right - I thought it was bigger until a friend told me the other day that he bought one and it was the same size - he does not have a mini to compare it to but I wrongfully trusted him...I stand corrected - nevertheless, the new base station IS 6.5. If they kill it I still think that whatever replaces it will be in similar form factor...


with that I am...
 
pixmhang said:
A new $999 cube, maybe?
Click to expand...

I have a Cube. From experience I can tell you it's very nice but not practical. A new machine has to be a bit bigger and more expandable than that.

- Limited choice of graphics cards because smaller than standard size
- No good SCSI solution.
- Limited choice of optical drives, slower, and more expensive.
- Constrained in CPU upgrades
 
Sounds like a purely business decision to me. Mac mini apparently doesn't sell well, and I'm sure the profit margin is pretty tight. Why keep it around? You can "switch" for 1000 with a macbook.

The apple tv box seems like a mini replacement already.
 
Digital Skunk said:
I honeslty have to say so what. Apple can release any size they want too. Maybe Apple will be combining all three machines into one do it all device and sell it for $500. They could call it the Airport Extreme Pro. It will have all the features of a MacMini, Apple TV, and a WiFi Draft N router in one device.

Go figure.
Click to expand...

I was wrong about the AppleTV but the device you describe would be cool...
 
I must say I am very fond of my mini. But I will probably be fond of any mac I would own. Let's hope that its successor will please the headless iMac complainers.

Respect.
 
cube said:
I have a Cube. From experience I can tell you it's very nice but not practical. A new machine has to be a bit bigger and more expandable than that.

- Limited choice of graphics cards because smaller than standard size
- No good SCSI solution.
- Limited choice of optical drives, slower, and more expensive.
- Constrained in CPU upgrades
Click to expand...

Sounds like an iMac without a monitor... may work for some.

Apple needs to take the MacPro and cut all of it's features in half. One chip processor, 2 PCIx slots, 8GB of RAM, two HDD slots, 1 optical bay... and cut the price in half to about $1200 and they will have a winner for most geeks and gamers out there.

Stonecoldcleric said:
I was wrong about the AppleTV but the device you describe would be cool...
Click to expand...

Yes it would... My nipples were getting hard just thinking about it... :D

Okay that may have been a bit over the top... sorry.

As a matter of fact.... make it so that I can stick that Airport Express Pro inside of the MacPro Mini and I will buy two of them Apple, one to use and one to never take out of the box. Come on Jobs you can do it... make my techie dreams come true. I wanna watch TV, edit HD footage with FCP and play Sims 2 Open for business all at the same time while streaming music to my other TV in my bedroom.
 
tristan said:
Please post messages like this in the "your computer is gayer than mine" thread so that everyone who is interested in the relative homosexuality of the various mac models can enjoy it.

Note that same thread can also be used for any bi-curious mac models.
Click to expand...

Plus, who really cares. Sure, homosexuality is against many religions and whatever, but if something's gay, I don't care. I have a lot of homosexual friends are act just like straight people. They don't grope everyone of the same sex they see; as I said they act just like straight people, they're just interested in the same sex. Besides, what you find gay another might not.
 
Bad Move

I better get one before they disappear. I was hoping to install one in my car, but was waiting for a processor upgrade.

OH WELL

If we get an ULTRA PORTABLE soon, I'll be fine.

Can't we just go back to the old commodore 64 (keyboard computers)? They were terrific.
I smell a hack coming on.
 
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